The Adventure of the Final Problem
"The Final Problem" is the last of the short stories of Sherlock Holmes from the The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first published in The Strand Magazine in December 1893. It appears in book form as part of the collection The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle later ranked "The Final Problem" fourth on his personal list of the twelve best Holmes stories. When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote it he originally intended it to be the last Sherlock Holmes story. This story puts Sherlock Holmes skills to the test when he is faced by the greatest criminal mind (Professor James Moriarty) in England that has endeavoured to kill Sherlock Holmes. Plot Summary One evening Holmes visits Watson looking thinner and paler than usual and with the knuckles of one hand burst and bleeding. Holmes asks Watson if he has ever heard of Professor Moriarty and Watson replies that he has not. Holmes explains that Professor Moriarty is the central organizational force of a large portion of criminal activity in the city of London. Holmes also describes Moriarty as his intellectual equal and the Napoleon of Crime. Holmes has managed to weave a net around Moriarty and all the principal members of his gang. In a few days time everything will be concluded and the gang arrested but a premature move might ruin the plans. Moriarty is fully aware of the move against him and has already confronted Holmes and warned him to back off or be crushed. After this interview, in which Holmes would not back down, three separate incidents occurred which nearly robbed Holmes of his life. Watson agrees to accompany Holmes onto the continent for the few remaining days before the arrests are concluded. Holmes provides detailed instructions for Watson's journey to the station the next day and then leaves by climbing over the back garden wall. In the morning Watson gets to the station without any trouble but Holmes is not in the carriage he had mentioned the previous night. An elderly Italian priest gets into the carriage despite Watson’s protestations but just as the train is preparing to leave when Watson hears Holmes' voice. The old man of religion is merely a disguise and Holmes had arrived safely at the station after all. As the train pulls away Holmes points out Moriarty rushing onto the platform. In order to throw Moriarty off their trail Holmes and Watson get out at the next stop but allow their luggage to progress on it’s journey and provide Moriarty with something to follow. Holmes and Watson go to Brussels and then Strasburg. Holmes receives a telegram to say that although the gang have all been secured but Moriarty himself has escaped. Holmes tries to persuade Watson to return to England for his own safety; since Moriarty is now ruined he will devote himself entirely to vengeance against the man who brought destruction upon him. But the faithful Watson refuses to leave his friend's side and the two of them continue to travel. Whilst staying in Meiringen Holmes and Watson plan a trip to Rosenlaui with a small detour to see the Reichenbach falls. The falls are an awe-inspiring natural spectacle. A small path affords a view of them and also of a steep drop down into the rock bestrewn river below. As they leave the falls a Swiss boy runs up to Watson and gives him a note. The note appears to be from their hotel proprietor who asks that Watson returns immediately to assist a dying woman. Watson sets out for the hotel after arranging to meet Holmes that evening at Rosenlaui. On his way Watson notices a black clad figure (Moriarty) heading up the hill behind him. Upon reaching the hotel Watson is told that the letter is a hoax and that there is no sick woman at the hotel. Watson realizes that the figure he saw was that of Moriarty and that the Swiss boy was probably acting for him. Watson races back to the falls and is sickened to see Holmes' alpenstock leaning against the rock were he had left Holmes, but no sign of him. Watson finds two sets of footprints going out onto the muddy dead end path with none returning then discovers a letter folded up and left on a boulder underneath Holmes' cigarette case. The letter is from Sherlock Holmes to Watson. He writes that he is about to have a final confrontation with Moriarty. Holmes had known that the message from Meiringen was a hoax and decided to face his nemesis. It is all too clear that during the fight that took place between Holmes and Moriarty, both fell to their deaths down the waterfall. The Moriarty gang are all convicted on the strength of evidence secured by Holmes. Watson ends his narrative by saying that Sherlock Holmes was the best and the wisest man he had ever known. Story Text *The Final Problem: Story Text Trivia *Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had intended this to be the last Sherlock Holmes case, and thus he killed him. he felt the Sherlock Holmes stories were distracting him from more serious efforts. After being pressurized by the public to continue writing the stories, he revived Sherlock Holmes in The Return of Sherlock Holmes. It turns out that Holmes survived the fight at the Falls and sent Moriarty to his doom. *This is the only time Sherlock Holmes decided to flee the opponent rather than face him directly. Movies & TV *The latest Sherlock Holmes movie, Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows was based upon this book. *The first episode of the animated TV show Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century "The Fall and Rise of Sherlock Holmes" was a continuation of this book. See Also: *List of Sherlock Holmes Stories Category: The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Category:Red links Category:Picture needed